Your parents aren’t going to be there to drag you out of bed anymore.
By ASHLEY BIEG
Westfield State University
All through high school I couldn’t wait for it to end, especially during senior year, where my friends and I literally counted down the days until graduation. But now that it’s over, I can’t help but want to go back. As my first month of college comes to an end, I find myself often thinking about the teachers and counselors that helped me get this far. They not only helped me graduate, but also helped me prepare to take on a much more serious journey: college.
Ashley Bieg As you enter college, there are, however, some things that high school doesn’t exactly prepare you for. While teachers and counselors constantly warn you of the large workload, they don’t always give you a lot of insight about the structure and social aspect of college.
As a freshman, I’m not claiming to be an expert in the ways of college life, but over the past few weeks I have learned a few valuable things that potential college students should keep in mind as they begin school.
First off, you have to get used to waking yourself up in the morning. Your parents aren’t going to be there to drag you out of bed anymore. Setting an alarm clock is crucial. And if you’re a commuter, like me, arriving at school an hour early is often times the only way to snag a parking space.
In addition to that, college classes are, in fact, a lot different than high school classes. First of all, your professor isn’t going to care if you’re on time or whether or not you attend their class. Their only job is to teach, not to take care of their students who are now “adults”. As one of my professors bluntly put it, “You’re not in high school anymore, welcome to college”. Attending classes, remembering to complete assignments and making up work are now your sole responsibilities. Self-motivation is key.
Another thing to keep in mind are the social changes that comes along with entering college. Entering college means you get a whole new set of classmates. The level of comfort you gained from attending classes, with the same set of students for four years, or maybe even longer, is gone. Most of your high school friends and acquaintances will not be attending the same college as you; they will be attending various colleges and universities all over the state and country.
It’s also possible that some of your friends will be entering into basic training for various military branches. Personally, realizing that people my own age are now training to defend our country, came as a very big and very scary reality check for me.
Keeping in contact with high school friends through text, phone calls, and letters, instead of seeing their face at school every day, definitely takes some getting used to. But, it is important to remember, that you will no doubt make new friends in college, and, that the friends from back home who really care about you, will make sure to keep in touch. Real relationships and friendships will survive an infinite amount of distance.
High school may be the end of one chapter in our lives, but college is just the beginning of another.
Ashley Bieg is a graduate of Holyoke High School, and UNlisted writer.
